Experiencing the Twin Transition: A Virtual Reality Application Showcasing Facets of the Circular Economy

Abstract

The twin transition (TT) describes the simultaneous advancement of ecological and digital transformation. Although the circular economy (CE) is a central component of ecological transformation, digital technologies can create new ways to visualize, communicate, and experience sustainability topics. However, the interrelations between CE-principles and digitization are often abstract and difficult to convey through conventional dissemination formats such as reports or websites. As an immersive medium, virtual reality (VR) is particularly well-suited to address this challenge, as it enables abstract relationships in spatial, interactive, and experiential ways. Therefore, this article presents a VR-application that conveys selected aspects of TT and CE with interactive stations, multimedia content, perspective-taking, and gamification elements. The application serves as an exemplary and transferable setting for communicating broader transformation-related content. By demonstrating how VR can support the experiential presentation of complex transformational content, this article contributes to the growing body of work on immersive science communication.